The certification of the Pueblos' Cochiti Community Development Corporation (CCDC) is a direct result of an ongoing partnership involving U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., the Cochiti Pueblo, Rosemary Chavez of RMC Consulting and the Laboratory's Tribal Relations Business team. The 8(a) certification of the CCDC, now gives Cochiti Pueblo first-time access to the SBA's Business Development Program, which offers a broad range of assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses.
"This means the Pueblo of Cochiti's business unit, the CCDC, will now compete for government contracts with the Lab and other federal agencies," said Director Bob Kuckuck. "LANL has placed a high priority on promoting business opportunities for the pueblos of Cochiti, Jemez, San Ildefonso and Santa Clara, which comprise the four accord tribes bordering the Laboratory," he added.
"The CCDC's 8(a) certification will provide a much-needed boost in business development for the community of Cochiti," said Cochiti Pueblo Gov. Joseph L. Trujillo. "The goal of the CCDC is to provide cost-effective, diversified services to targeted business environments throughout the country," he said.
The 8(a) Business Development Program will help further the mission of the CCDC by fostering partnerships with other 8(a)-certified, tribal-owned businesses and individually-owned Native American small businesses and companies. The CCDC will serve as an ambassador by helping other small businesses forge alliances with communities that border tribal lands, by helping secure outside investment in economic activities on tribal lands and by fostering communications about tribal issues that arise when doing business with federal entities.
Director Kuckuck and Gov. Trujillo have expressed their sincere gratitude to Senator Domenici and Rosemary Chavez of RMC Consulting for their assistance in addressing SBA regulations and federal requirements with respect to sovereign immunity of tribal governments.
Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.
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Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.